Textile yarns having elastic properties are widely used in various textile applications. Spandex yarns are most prevalently used to provide the elastic properties in such textile yarns. Because of the surface characteristics of spandex, however, bare or uncovered spandex yarns have only limited application.
Typically, the spandex is incorporated with other textile fibers or filaments in composite yarns, with the other textile fibers or filaments forming a covering or sheath around the spandex which defines a core within the covering or sheath. Such composite yarns have been heretofore produced by wrapping one or more yarns of the other textile fibers or filaments around the spandex core by passing the spandex core longitudinally and axially through a wrapping spindle during which the covering yarn(s) is wrapped around the core. The density of the covering or sheath may be strictly controlled by the number of wraps per inch of the covering yarn(s) about the spandex core.
While such wrapped, composite yarns have numerous advantages, they also have disadvantages and deficiencies. Such disadvantages and deficiencies include a relatively slow production rate and a relatively limited length of composite yarn produced.
Because of the limitations, disadvantages and deficiencies of such wrapped composite yarns, attempts have been made to provide alternative ways of producing composite yarns, particularly where the covering or sheath is formed of a multifilament thermoplastic yarn. Such attempts have included the entangling of the filaments of a thermoplastic covering yarn with the spandex core by passing both yarns together through an air jet or similar fluid entangling device. Other attempts have included passing the thermoplastic covering yarn and the spandex core together through a friction false twister.
These previously proposed attempts have provided increased rates of production and increased lengths of composite yarns produced. However, the composite yarns produced have exhibited erratic and insufficient coverage and other less than desirable surface characteristics. Additionally, the air entangled composite yarns have typically employed only fully oriented or fully drawn covering yarns.
With the foregoing in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide a composite elastic yarn and method of manufacturing the same which overcomes the aforementioned limitations, disadvantages and deficiencies of prior composite elastic yarns and methods of manufacture thereof.